Oil-tank



- (NoModeL) A. W- ,NEWELL.

OIL TANK. No. 244,649- Patented July 19,1-881..

W112 my fl- 'mwiwifid UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUGUSTUS W. NEWELL, 0F BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

OIL-TAN K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,649, dated July 19,1881,

' Application filed May 16,1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUSHW. NEW- ELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bradford, in the county of McKean and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOil-Tanks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the.same,reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, andto thelettersor figuresof reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention'relates to an improvement in tanks for the storage of crudepetroleum; and the object of my improvement is to provide achambered'fioating cover for such tanks that shall to a great extentprevent the formation of gas in the tank, and at the same time preventthe rapid burning of the oil in the event of its being ignited bylightning or otherwise. I attain this object by means of a floatingchambered cover, constructed substantially as show 11' in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of atank showing my improved cover placed in it, said cover being broken toshow the spaces or chambers betweenits upper and lower plates. Fig. 2 isa central vertical section, showing the tank as partially filled withoil, the cover floating thereon, and the chambers between its two parts.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in both the figures.

It is well known that tanks used for storing large quantities of oil inthe petroleumproducing portions of the country are subject to strokes oflightning and to other casualties which ignite their contents, thuscausing serious losses of property, as when these tanks are constructedin the usual manner, with their covers riveted or otherwise secured tothem, there is nothing to prevent the flame from spreading over theentire surface of the oil,in doing which the heat becomes so intensethat it is not possible for persons to approach them for the purpose ofdrawing 0E any portion of the oil, the consequence being that the wholeof the oil contained in the tank is destroyed.

Observation and experience have convinced me that in a majority of casesthe ignition of the oil in tanks ofthis character when stricken bylightning or when ignited from other causes, is due to the'presence ofgas" formed by the heat of the sun or from other causes, such gasaccumulating between the surface of the oil and the cover, it beingignited by the lightning stroke, or it may be from a match lighted inits vicinity or from other causes. I have therefore sought to provide acover for tanks of this character that shall rest and float upon thesurface of the oil and thus preventthe accumulation of gas thereon, andat the same time prevent .to a great ex tent the formation of gas by theheat of the sun, it being made buoyant and provided with a series ofchambers between its upper and lower surfaces which are filled with air,which has the effect to prevent to a great extent the rays of the sun orheat derived from other sources, from heating the oil to such an extentform, and it may be of any required dimensions, the circular form beingpreferred.

For the purpose of preventing the formation of gas upon the uppersurface of the oil and its collection between the oil and the cover ofthe tank I provide a floating chambered cover, 0, the diameter of whichis such as to cause it to fit or nearly fit the interior of the tank,preferring to leave a small space between the two, so that if any gasshould be generated it can escape through such opening. This cover maybe made of wood or of sheet metal, or it may be partly of wood andpartly of metal.

When wood is used it should becovered with some non-combustiblesubstance, such as asbestus, or fire-proof paint, it being composed oftwo plates, D and E, and dividing-partitions F, of which there may beany desired number, according to the diameter or dimensions of thecover, they serving to divide it A floating cover for tanks in whichpetrol- I5 eum is stored, having in it a series of air-chambers formedby the partitions which serve also as supports for the upper and lowerplates of the cover, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 20 in presence of twowitnesses.

I AUGUSTUS WILLIAM NEWELL.

Witnesses:

R. B. STONE, JOSEPH POST.

